Where is this black money coming from?

Bengaluru: HD Kumaraswamy, the CM aspirant of the JD(S), on Wednesday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of offering Rs 100 crore in cash and cabinet position to 32 JD(S) MLAs in an unlawful bid to break the alliance between his party and the Congress. The JD(S) leader said the BJP was resorting to “horsetrading” by trying to lure his party MLAs with money.

After being elected as leader of the JD(S) Legislature Party Kumaraswamy addressed the media in Bengaluru and alleged that that BJP, in “a hurry to form the government”, was making attempts to lure his party MLAs with monetary offers.

“Where is this black money coming from? They are supposedly the servers of poor people and they are offering money today,” Kumaraswamy said. “Where are the income tax officials?”

The Congress and the JD(S) have a combined strength of 116 seats, which is 4 more than magic number of 112. The two parties struck a poll alliance a few hours into the day of the results yesterday to stave off a bid to power by the BJP which is eight seats short of a simple majority.

The BJP was trying to “misuse” its power of being in office at the Centre, Kumaraswamy charged.

Kumaraswamy said the Congress-JD(S) combine had a “clear majority” with the support of 116 MLAs. “Without the numbers, how can they (BJP) form the government?” he asked.

Kumaraswamy said he was not out to grab power. As the state Assembly polls gave a fractured verdict, the JD(S) and Congress party have come together and petitioned state Governor Vajubhai Vala to allow the combine to form its government.